The New Discourses Podcast with James Lindsay, Episode 115
In Simone de Beauvoir’s famous work The Second Sex, she wrote one of the most famous lines in feminist thought: “One is not born but becomes woman.” This statement, and her articulation of what it means, outlines the modern-turned-postmodern Gnostic cult we know as feminism. Her point is that women, meaning people who are female, have two choices in how they “become woman.” They can follow the social expectations laid upon them by patriarchal society, in effect becoming Woman-for-Man, or they can throw off the entire sex binary, patriarchal control, and all societal expectations and, in effect, become Woman-in-Herself, the gnostically liberated Woman as she can only be outside of the influence of the demiurgic power of patriarchal society. In this groundbreaking episode of the New Discourses Podcast, host James Lindsay unveils this basic truth about feminism, at least since Beauvoir, relates it back to the entire construction of Modern and Postmodern Gnosticism, and discusses its many implications. Join him to understand feminism and feminist activism in a way like never before, including why it continues to fail to push back effectively against Queer Theory and Trans Rights Activism.
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5 comments
If I hear one more person distort the meaning of S de B’s famous introductory sentence by quoting it out of context, I’ll lose my shit. The terms ‘feminine’, ‘masculine’ and ‘gender’ have no place outside of a book of grammar. Biological entities do not have a gender, they have a sex – female or male, which is *determined* at fertilisation and does not change. The term ‘gender non-conformity’ is essentialist therefore sexist. Behavioural expression is personality; presentation is fashion.
This is far-left feminism and I think the emphasis should be on the “far” part of that description. It is a subset of a broader term and the broader term can contain many different viewpoints and welcome many people – including men and including religious people. My feminism and that of many women and men I know is about celebrating femaleness and being proud of it and considering women and girls as valuable and deserving of dignity, autonomy and respect. It’s worth noting that the ‘TERF’ label gets thrown at any women opposing the gender theory activists regardless of her general beliefs being left, right or centrist. So many labeled ‘TERF’ are mothers and / or are very concern for children’s well-being.
Feminism is not ‘spiritual knowledge’.
She is hardly the only authority on feminism. I don’t particularly regard deBeauvoir as a feminist since she fell into the same trap of male/female stereotypes of romanticism in her love life. You should look at Gloria Steinheim rather as an example of true feminism.
And obviously no woman is ‘born’ a woman they are born female, they can chose what they do with their life and how they act and value being a woman. Feminists do not ‘hate’ society. I think you are presenting a very stereotypical view of feminism there are many branches or ‘ waves’ and you should research it more deeply.
“Weltgeist auf Mannen” isn’t German.
“World Spirit of men” would be something like “Weltgeist der Männer”.
“der Männer” (of the men) = genitive plural of “der Mann” (the man).